Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull F1 team ready to ‘attack’ in 2018

Daniel Ricciardo is confident Red Bull has got itself where it needs to be to fight with Formula 1 favourites Mercedes and Ferrari regularly this season.

After the Milton Keynes-based outfit made good progress with its car throughout last season after a slow start, Ricciardo is bullish that Red Bull can carry its momentum into the 2018 season to allow his team to “attack” at the front.

“I feel there is a good intensity,” said the Australian, in a pre-season Red Bull video interview reflecting on his winter and the coming season.

“Everyone is not getting too excited. We know we have got some work to do if we really want to achieve what we want.

“We know we have some desires to attack this year.”

When asked if he believed Red Bull could beat Mercedes and Ferrari, he said: “I believe so.

“With not many rule changes, we improved the car quite a lot last year so I guess in principle we should be able to carry that over for this year and keep evolving from there.

“We should be able to fight more often – time will tell. But I am confident.”

Despite his optimism about the progress Red Bull has made, Ricciardo did think it was too early for him to set specific targets.

“I’ve got goals that I want to achieve but I don’t necessarily say right, by race three I want to have been on the podium already twice and had a pole position,” he explained. “I don’t set goals like that.

“I guess the thing for me is that I want to be true to myself and make sure I am have prepared as well as I can for every race, then I know I will get the most out of it.”